Happy - tidying up and using up stuff

I'm tidying up my studio. There's just so much stuff that has somehow accumulated over the years. Some of the stuff I haven't used in ages, as my style and preferences have changed over the years. I've been hanging on to all that stuff, because... you never know, maybe one day, they might be useful.... But enough of that. If I haven't used them in all those years, the chances that I am doing so now is very little. So it's all going out. Or most of it anyway.

Work in progress - first layers

I found these papier maché letters in one of the boxes, and I had this 20x50cm canvas board that I had bought for a project that I never got round to do. Not a very convient format, but - the letters fitted perfectly on it, so I glued them on to it and added paint.

Work in progress - more layers

I also have far too many paints. Some I've had for ages, but I've discovered new brands that I prefer so they have just been sitting around unused. I've recently taken them all out and painted little samples, and some of them have become all gooey. I've used all those gooey paints for this one, using them up as much as possible before they go into the bin.

Finished!

There really is just no point keeping all that stuff if you're never goint to use it. It might be hard to just throw it all away (good if you have arty friends nearby who would be happy to use them), considering that art materials aren't cheap. But hanging on to them might just be counterproductive. At least that's how it is for me. With my shelves full of stuff, getting to what I want often requires shifting other stuff first, and I easily forget what I actually have. And the result: I don't use them at all. And a cluttered space just doesn't work for me, there's no room for inspiration to blossom. Not that I want a bare, clinical kind of space, not at all. But there is a big difference between creative chaos and pure too-much-stuff mess.

Detail

Now that my holiday, sadly, is over, I hope to finally get some much overdue planning, organising and change making done. Not to mention more time spent in my little studio and with my sketchbook.

The magic of mushrooms

Finally, summer is over, and one of my favourite seasons has arrived. The gorgeous colours of the autumn, the softer light, the cooler, fresher air... Such a relief after the hot and stiflig summer. And I'm on holiday! A relaxing holiday at home with N, with long walks, day trips, lazy mornings, home made fruity smoothies and good food. 

The other day we went for a walk in the forest and there were mushrooms, or fungi, everywhere. And so many different varieties! They're so fascinating and magical. Just gorgeous, aren't they? Of course I have no idea what they are all called, but just looking at them, and taking pictures of them, made me happy.

Happy Autumn!

A Month in Polaroid: The August Break 2017 - Final Week

Can you believe that it's already September? August just flew by! To be honest, I'm glad it's the end of summer. August was far too hot and humid for my taste. Now, that the temperatues have dropped 10-15 degrees Celsius compated to last weekend, my energy is coming back and I got more done this weekend than on all the weekends of August put together. But I did finish this year's August Break, and here's the final days of my month in Polaroid:

It was fun to think about how to interpret the prompts and find something to photograph. Of course with Polaroid, it takes a bit more planning. But that's the charm of analogue photography. 

I also made a little Steller story of my Month in Polaroid. I think it used to be possible to include a Steller story directly on your blog, but it doesn't seem to be so anymore. That's a shame, but anyway, you can find it here, if you want to have a look: A Month in Polaroid 2017 on Steller.